Removing Tiles

[Des]

Hello

Ok, I've done it now.

My wife got a quote on re-tiling our ensuite which nearly gave me a heart attack and prompted me to rashly say, "sod that I'll do it myself".

The tiling doesn't worry me too much since I've done that before with no probs (ok it was on virgin plasterboard). But how to take off the old ceramic tiles - they're wall to wall and floor to ceiling ????

I was planning on taking a hammer and chisel to them - but is there a better/recommended way of doing it. I don't suppose you can steam them off ;-)

Des

[Christian McArdle]

See thread "Following on from the SDS drill discussion earlier, anyone rate NuTool stuff?" above. I'd estimate doing the job you suggest with hammer and chisel would take half a day and leave hundreds of shards of tile stuck to the wall. With an SDS chisel, about 15 minutes. Most tiles will come off whole and unbroken. It is simply inconceivable that you wouldn't use an SDS chisel for this job. It is an intensely satisfying job.

Christian.

[TheScullster]

If the existing ones have been properly fixed, be prepared for some plastering! Because of seriously naff wall construction, I'm tiling over existing tiles. Group opinion on this is mixed do a Google group search for tiles on tiles and similar subjects.

HTH

Phil

[Des]

Sounds just the job.

I'm assuming that one uses some form of chissel attachement on the drill when removing tiles? And what exactly does SDS stand for?

Des

[David]

I defiantly recommend leaving them on and tiling over them, providing they are solidly fixed to the wall. When I was tiling I tiled a 105 bathroom hotel and was on layer four in some bathrooms. Never had any problems.

Older tiles are quite thin (6 mm) so you won't be gaining much room.

Be sure to degrease and thoroughly clean the surface of the old tiles. It has been recommended that you sand the glaze too on in this group. This is not necessary and if you read the instructions on any decent tile adhesive you will find this is the case.

If you need any tools or equipment have a look at my professional tilers tools web site

David

[Scott Mills]

Well, my opinion... I've taken tiles off before and the wall required replastering. I have recently just done my bathroom here, and tiled over existing ones. I didn't have too many problems...

[Lurch]

If you search on uk.d-i-y for articles containing SDS since 01\01\04 there are a few threads going into this subject. ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

[Des]

Lots of useful information there - thanks.

Looks like these tools are heavy and can do a lot of damage? I guess good protective clothing and masks are essential.

Des

Btw, I'm still no wiser as to what SDS actually stands for!!

[Al Reynolds]

Most importantly goggles.

Neither are most of the people on here! ;-) Someone is still claiming it's Special Drill System!

[Lurch]

From the Google uk.d-i-y archive.

"SDS originally stood for the german Steck - Dreh- Sitzt (insert - twist - stay) and simply refers to the patented Bosch "keyless chuck" system, whereby drill bits (and saw blades in jigsaws) can be replaced without the need for an allen key. Today SDS stands for Special Direct System or in german Spannung Durch System." ..

SJW A.C.S. Ltd.

[Andy Luckman (AJL Electronics)]

Suitably Dangerous System. :-)

[Simon Avery]

Hello Des

YES!

Sorry, but I wish somebody had told me this before I spent so long with grazed knuckles.

USE A GARDEN SPADE!

That's it. Extremely fast method of removing tiles. May damage plasterboard if you're brutal, but then so will doing it any other way.

[Rick Dipper]

Tile over the top, you get a nice flat surface to start with .......

Rick

[toadoftoadhall]

i have remeoved tiles from this type of wall before. Way i did it, and very succesfully, was to first remove much of the groout, by use of a bradall, or similar. Then working from an open edge, use a flexible paint scraper, and knock it down with a hammer into the back of the tile and the wall. Some come off clean, some break apart, but there is minimul damage to the wall. Just make sure its a flexible wide scraper.

Come on, what you got to lose. You probabl have the tools already.

toad.

just trying to floor tile the kitchen, and bought a £40 plasplugs tilecutter from Argos on recomendation fo this ng. Best tool I ever bought. Worth every penny. BUT! How on earth do you tile so its all perfectly flat? Took me 2 hours to put 6 tiles down this afternoon. Itsflat, but god, its going to tke all week!

[PoP]

I don't understand your difficulty!

The first premise is that the wall you are tiling onto must be reasonably flat (small undulations acceptable).

Then you lay a bed of tile adhesive which you furrow with the supplied tool - this gives about 50% surface contact area with the tile.

Next lay tile in position and wiggle it to get adhesive to squeegee behind the tile. At this point you can easily determine whether the tile is flush with the one(s) alongside.

I've done about 100 tiles over the last couple of days. Judging by time spent I reckon on doing about a dozen an hour. That's bound to be a lot slower than a pro who does tiling every day, but I feel my progress is not unreasonable - and I am getting faster with practice.

PoP

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[John]

Toad was asking about FLOOR tiling!

[PoP]

Ah, but his response started out by talking about WALL tiling. You surely aren't expecting me to read the whole damn message before hitting the reply key are you? ;)

Tsk, some people..... ;)

PoP

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My published email address probably won't work. If you need to contact me please submit your comments via the web form at

apologise for the additional effort, however the level of unsolicited email I receive makes it impossible to advertise my real email address!